S Korea snubs North’s new peace offer as ‘nonsensical’

SEOUL: South Korea Tuesday rejected North Korea’s proposal that the two sides halt hostile military activities as “nonsensical”, and suggested it show sincerity by dumping its nuclear weapons.“North Korea’s proposal is nonsensical and lacks sincerity,” the South’s unification ministry said in a statement, referring to Monday’s offer from the North’s top military body, the National Defence Commission (NDC). “North Korea must show sincerity in resolving the nuclear issue, which poses a fundamental threat to peace on the Korean peninsula,” the ministry said. The NDC proposed that the two Koreas suspend hostile military activities, along with all acts of verbal provocation and slander, as of Friday. It called for an end to live-fire drills and other hostile military activities near the disputed border in the Yellow Sea — a frequent flashpoint — from the same day. There have been no direct military clashes at the maritime border since 2010, but the two sides intermittently fire warning shots there and engage in live-fire drills. The North also urged the South to scrap its annual joint military exercises with the United States slated for August, to create a favourable mood for dialogue and for this year’s Asian Games in the South Korean city of Incheon.